Rio reignites Terry race row

14 July 2012 08:48

The John Terry racism row was reignited on Saturday night when his team-mate and defence witness Ashley Cole was attacked on Twitter - with the alleged victim's brother Rio Ferdinand laughingly reacting.

Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday. It was alleged that he had maliciously insulted Rio's brother Anton - a QPR defender - during a match on October 23 last year.

Cole, 31, had told the trial that Terry, his Stamford Bridge captain and friend, was not racist.

Cole, who also told the court he was a long-standing friend of the Ferdinand brothers, was accused by one person who sent a tweet to Rio Ferdinand of being a "choc ice". The term is commonly understood to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside".

The person wrote: "Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice. Then again he's always been a sell out. Shame on him."

Manchester United defender Rio, who played with Terry at the heart of England's defence and whose parents attended every day of the five-day trial in support of his brother, replied: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic! hahahahahahha!!"

Users began discussing the comments and reacting to them and Ferdinand wrote: "And if I want to laugh at something someone tweetsI will! Hahahahaha! Now stop getting ya knickers in a twist!"

Cole moved to calm the situation down and issued a statement through his lawyers.

It said: "Ashley Cole has been made aware of the discussion following comments appearing on Twitter and wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and Ashley has no intention of making any sort of complaint.

"Ashley appreciates that Tweeting is so quick it often results in off-hand and stray comments."